>>> A RHODE ISLAND FIREFIGHTER
IS A BIG OUTDOORSMAN AND
DEDICATED MEMBER OF HIS
COMMUNITY.
LIFE AS HE KNEW IT CHANGED AFTER
AN ACCIDENT.
ONE THAT EVENTUALLY LED HIM TO
HELP REINVENT THE FUTURE OF
TECH.
WATCH THIS STORY.
>> Reporter: BRAYDEN LEONARD
ANSWERED THE CALL TO BECOME A
FIREFIGHTER AFTER THE TRAGIC
EVENTS OF 9/11.
>> ONE OF MY GOOD FRIENDS
INTRODUCED ME TO A VOLUNTEER
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I STARTED VOLUNTEERING IN 2001.
THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
EXPAND MY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE.
>> Reporter: HE LOVED
VOLUNTEERING SO MUCH HE TURNED
IT INTO HIS CAREER.
>> IT WAS A GOOD FEELING THAT WE
COULD HAVE A PRETTY SERIOUS
IMPACT ON SOMEONE'S LIFE.
>> Reporter: AS AN AVID
OUTDOORSMAN, HE SPENT HIS FREE
TIME MOUNTAIN BIKING.
IT WAS ON A BIKING TRIP THAT HIS
LIFE WOULD CHANGE FOREVER.
>> I WAS ON A SHORT DOWNHILL
SECTION AND THE FRONT TIRE OF MY
MOUNTAIN BIKE WAS PINCHED
BETWEEN ROCKS.
I LAUNCHED ME OVER THE
HANDLEBARS SUPERMAN STYLE.
I REACHED OUT AND MY PALM STRUCK
A TREE.
AND A THORN WAS DEEPLY EMBEDDED
IN MY PALM.
>> Reporter: HE FINISHED THE
RIDE THINKING LITTLE OF HIS
WOUND.
>> I'VE HAD WORSE HAPPEN ON
RIDES.
I THINK I ROAD SOOT THROW OR
FOUR MILES.
>> Reporter: THE NEXT DAY HIS
HAND WAS SWOLLEN AND PAINFUL.
>> THEY TRANSFERRED ME TO A
LOCAL TRAUMA CENTER.
>> Reporter: FROM THERE HIS
CONDITION ONLY GOT WORSE.
>> MY LUNGS WERE FILLING WITH
FLUID, AND I WASN'T DOING WELL.
THEY HAD TO PUT ME IN A
MEDICALLY INDUCED COMA.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WENT OUT IT
WAS A POSSIBILITY THEY MIGHT
HAVE TO AMPUTATE MY HAND IF THEY
COULDN'T STOP THE INFECTION.
IT SEEMED LIKE A LONG SHOT THEY
WANTED TO PREPARE ME FOR.
WHEN AWOKE, MY HAND WAS GONE.
>> Reporter: BRAYDEN IS WITH US
TODAY.
WELCOME TO YOU.
>> HI.
THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: WHAT WAS IT?
HOW DID A THORN IN YOUR PALM
TURN INTO THE AMPUTATION OF YOUR
HAND?
>> SO THE THORN WAS REALLY THE
INSERTION MECHANISM TO GET THE
BACTERIA INTO THE TISSUE.
YOU HAVE A FATTY TISSUE IN YOUR
HAND.
>> Reporter: IT WAS A
FLESH-EATING BACTERIA?
>> YEAH.
STREP.
YOU'VE HEARD OF STREP THROAT.
IT'S THE SAME EXACT BACTERIA,
ACTUALLY.
>> Reporter: AND IT WAS IN THE
TREE THAT YOU HIT?
>> UNLIKELY IT HAVE IN THE TREE.
IT WAS PROBABLY ALREADY IN MY
BODY OR ON MY GLOVE AND THE
THORN ALLOWED IT TO GET INTO
THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT COULD
THRIVE AND GROW.
>> Reporter: IT SEEMS LIKE A
FREAK ACCIDENT.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THAT
HAPPENING?
>> I THINK IT WAS ONE IN
800,000.
>> OH, MY GOD.
YOU'RE A FIREFIGHTER FOR A
LIVING, AND YOU GO UNDER
THINKING PROBABLY THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO HAVE TO AMPUTATE, AND
WHEN YOU WAKE UP, YOU FIND THEY
DID.
WHAT WAS YOUR FEELING?
>> IT WAS A BIT OF A SURPRISE.
THEY DID GIVE ME SOME
FOREWARNING.
THEY SAID THAT THE POTENTIAL
EXISTED.
THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO AMPUTATE
MY HAND.
I WAS ON A LOT OF MEDICATION, SO
I DIDN'T REALLY THINK MUCH OF
IT.
I WAS LIKE OH, THIS IS AN
INFECTION.
THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF
IT.
AND I WOKE UP NEARLY A WEEK
LATER.
I CAME OUT OF A
MEDICALLY-INDUCED COMA AND MY
HAND WAS GONE.
>> IS IT TRUE AT ONE POINT THEY
GAVE YOU A 30% CHANCE OF
SURVIVAL?
>> YEAH.
PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
IF YOU HAVE THAT AND YOU SURVIVE
MINUS A HAND --
>> YOU'RE DOING OKAY?
>> YEAH.
>> I READ THAT SOMEONE WHO WAS
MISSING HIS LEG CAME UP TO YOU
AFTER SEEING THAT YOU LOST YOUR
HAND AND SAID HE DIDN'T ENVY
YOU.
>> YEAH.
>> WHAT HAPPENED?
>> IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME AT
THE TIME.
I THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY.
I WAS LIKE WHY?
I COULDN'T -- I'M A BIG SNOW
BOARDER.
WINTER SPORTS, HIKER.
SO I WAS LIKE WOW, I CAN STILL
GO SNOW BOARDING RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE BOTH OF MY LEGS.
I CAN STILL RUN.
I CAN STILL DO A LOT OF THINGS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT
IT IS TO REPLACE A HAND AS
OPPOSED TO A LEG.
YOU COULD PUT A SIMPLE PEG LEG
ON AND JUST IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY
OF LIFE INSTANTLY.
YOU'RE ABLE TO WALK AROUND, DO
MOST OF THE THINGS YOU NEED TO
DO.
WHEREAS WITH A HAND, IT'S REALLY
HARD TO REPLACE ALL OF THE
CAPABILITIES THAT THE HAND HAS.
>> HE KNEW SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T
ABOUT PROSTHETICS?
>> YES.
>> YOU START TRYING PROSTHETICS
BUT NONE OF THEM WAS EQUAL TO
THE TASKS OF YOUR LIFE.
I MEAN, YOU WERE THIS AVID
OUTDOORSMAN DOING ALL THIS
STUFF, AND NOT TO MENTION YOUR
CAREER AS A FIREFIGHTER.
UNLIKE MOST OF US, HE ACTUALLY
DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
THAT.
I THINK MOST OF US SAY THAT'S
UNFORTUNATE.
THIS IS MY NEW REALITY.
I'M ALIVE.
NOT BRAYDEN.
COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, HOW
HE FOUND SOMETHING THAT WOULD
HELP HIM ADAPT TO HIS NEW
>>> BEFORE THE BREAK WE MET
FORMER FIREFIGHTER BRAYDEN
LEONARD WHO LOST HIS HAND AFTER
A TERRIBLE INFECTION FOLLOWING A
MOUNTAIN BIKING ACCIDENT.
HE DID NOT SUCCUMB TO DEPRESSION
TO HIS MISFORTUNE.
HE CONTINUED HIS ACTIVE WAY OF
LIFE.
>> I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE
SHORTCOMINGS IN A PROSTHETIC
UNTIL I STARTED THE PROCESS FOR
GETTING FITTED AND SEEING WHAT
WAS AVAILABLE.
I DISCOVERED THAT GENERALLY
THEY'RE UNCOMFORTABLE.
IT'S CLUMSY AND CLUNKY.
THE ROBOTIC HANDS THAT I'M SURE
EVERYONE HAS SEEN, THEY'RE NOT
THAT GREAT FOR ALL AROUND USE.
I DOESN'T ABLE TO GET MY HANDS
ON ANYTHING TO RIDE A MOUNTAIN
BIKE.
>> LEONARD REALIZED HE NEEDED TO
DESIGN HIS OWN PROSTHETIC.
HE APPLIED TO THE AUTO DESK
BUILD SPACE IN BOSTON.
A TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR
ENGINEERS AND ENTREPRENEURS
WHERE HE COULD USE THEIR
ADVAN
ADVANCED MACHINERY FREE OF
CHARGE TO BUILD PROSTHETICS.
LIKE THIS ARM TO RIDE HIS
MOTORCYCLE.
>> I'VE BEEN RIDING MY
MOTORCYCLE A LOT AND COMMUTING
TO WORK ON IT.
AND IT'S A GREAT FEELING TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN.
SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ANYONE, IT
SHOULDN'T BE THE END OF THEIR
LIFE.
>> PRETTY COOL.
WE'RE BACK WITH BRAYDEN LEONARD.
THEY SAY NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER
OF ALL INVENTION.
DID YOU HAVE ANY BACKGROUND IN
ENGINEERING?
>> I STUDIED CIVIL ENGINEERING
IN COLLEGE.
I NEVER FINISHED MY DEGREE
BEFORE I STARTED THE FIRE
ACADEMY.
>> BUT YOU FIGURED YOU WERE
GOING TO GO BACK AND FIND A WAY?
DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCE HAVING
THAT VERSUS HAVING THE REGULAR
PROSTHETICS THEY GIVE YOU.
>> I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A WAY TO
SORT OF CAPTURE THIS TWISTING OF
THE WRIST, CALLED PRONATION AND
SUPINATION.
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S LOST INSIDE
A PROSTHETIC SOCKET.
IMAGINE PUTTING YOUR ARM IN A
TUBE, YOU'LL MAKE A ROTATION,
AND IT WILL BE A FEW DEGREES
BEFORE THE ACTUAL OUTER SHELL
MOVES WITH YOU.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SLOPPY
STEERING WHEEL EFFECT, IF THAT
MAKES SENSE.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO DESCRIBE.
WE CAPTURE MORE OF THAT
MOVEMENT.
ANOTHER ISSUE I FOUND WITH A LOT
OF THE MECHANICAL COMPONENTS
AVAILABLE, THEY SAID I WAS
BREAKING THEM.
>> YOU WERE TOO STRONG.
HE'S A FIREFIGHTER.
>> WELL, I FALL TOO HARD, MAYBE.
>> SO YOU NEEDED SOMETHING MORE
STURDY?
>> YEAH.
I'VE BEEN TAKING A PAGE OUT OF
CLIMBING HARDWARE AND SAILING
HARDWARE.
REALLY STRONG MECHANICAL PARTS
HAVE A LOAD RATING.
>> IT'S AMAZING NO ONE HAS DONE
THIS BEFORE YOU.
YOU'RE CLEARLY NOT THE ONLY ONE
WHO NEEDED THIS, AND I KNOW NOW
YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP OTHERS WHO
WANT THIS AS WELL.
DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE A
TIME WHEN YOU CAN FIGHT FIRES
AGAIN?
I MEAN, A LOT OF GUYS WOULD HAVE
ABANDONED THAT DREAM BY NOW.
>> IT'S KIND OF HARD TO
COMPLETELY LET IT GO.
I HAVE -- I MEAN, MY BROTHER'S
AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT -- MY
BROTHERS AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
HAVE BEEN HAVE A SOURCE OF
SUPPORT FOR ME.
THEY'VE BEEN THERE ANYTHING I'VE
NEEDED.
AND, YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY
SOMETHING THAT I MISS.
AND IF THIS ALL WORKS OUT AND
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, I MEAN,
I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH TESTING.
JUST TO BE REALISTIC, I DON'T
WANT TO ENDANGER SOMEONE ELSE
FOR MY EGO SO I CAN --
>> YEAH, BUT I THINK IT'S A
TESTAMENT TO YOUR RESILIENCE
THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO DO IT.
THAT YOU HAVE IT AS YOUR GOAL.
I KNOW YOU SAY THE GOOD NEWS IS
YOU ARE ACTUALLY AND ALWAYS HAVE
BEEN LEFT-HANDED.
>> YEAH.
GOT THAT GOING FOR ME.
>> THAT'S ONE GOOD THING.
BUT LISTEN, GOOD LUCK TO YOU IN
YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS AND ALL
THESE PURSUITS.